Students from across campus have received Graduate Research Fellowships, a prestigious award that recognizes and supports outstanding students in a wide variety of science-related disciplines

The National Science Foundation has awarded 43 University of Colorado Boulder students with the prestigious graduate research fellowship, the federal agency announced earlier this month.  

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) recognizes outstanding graduate students from across the country in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, paving the way for their continued work exploring some of the most complex and pressing issues of our time. 

This year’s recipients of the five-year fellowship represent a wide swath of disciplines, spanning quantum physics to ecology. Each GRFP recipient will receive three years of financial support, including an annual stipend of $37,000, as well as professional development and research opportunities. 

Of those 43 winners, which places the university in the top fifteen nationwide in terms of number awarded, 60% participated in a workshop or information session organized by the Graduate School, in partnership with the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. These included specialized writing workshops, coaching sessions and general informational sessions about applying for the GRFP. 

"Our continued extraordinary performance among the nation’s top graduate schools in securing NSF GRFP’s is not only a testament to our outstanding graduate students at CU, but also the Graduate School’s approach to cultivating talent with our campus partners and tremendously supportive faculty,” said E. Scott Adler, dean of the Graduate School and the vice provost for graduate affairs. “We are very proud of the students who have been recognized by this highly competitive program.” 

This year’s recipients include: 

• Sophie Anderson, aerospace engineering 
• Olivia Bird, chemistry 
• Kaitlyn Bishay, civil engineering 
• Kylie Boenisch-Oakes, environmental engineering 
• Hilary Brumberg, environmental studies 
• Annette Carroll, physics 
• Douglas Castro, ecology and evolutionary biology 
• Brianna Check, chemistry 
• Lily (Liliaokeawawa) Cothren, electrical, computer and energy engineering 
• Kiera Croland, chemical and biological engineering 
• Alysse DeFoe, chemical and biological engineering 
• Kayleigh Dodson, ecology and evolutionary biology 
• J. Flores Govea, aerospace engineering 
• Omar French, physics 
• Sara Garcia, ecology and evolutionary biology 
• Kaitlin Garman, chemistry 
• Annamarie Guth, environmental engineering 
• Benjamin Hammel, materials science and engineering 
• Matthew Heyrich, physics 
• Mathew Jaeschke, chemical and biological engineering 
• Rachel Johnson, civil engineering 
• Sarah Christine Jones, physics 
• Miranda Alicia Juarros, molecular, cellular and developmental biology 
• Kendra Kreienbrink, materials science and engineering 
• Dylan Ladd, materials science and engineering 
• Ethan Leong, aerospace engineering 
• Scott McKinley, aerospace engineering 
• Jesus Melendez Gil, chemical and biological engineering 
• Zach Michael, atmospheric and oceanic sciences 
• Kal Monroe, aerospace engineering 
• Jonathan Musgrave, electrical, computer and energy engineering 
• Emma Nelson, physics 
• Claire Niemet, chemical and biological engineering 
• Anna Pauls, civil engineering 
• Ritu R. Raj, chemical and biological engineering 
• Tony Salcido-Alcantar Jr, bioengineering 
• Zachary Schwartz, ecology and evolutionary biology 
• Amrita Singh, aerospace engineering 
• Ava Spangler, civil engineering 
• Mark Stephenson, aerospace engineering 
• Marena Trujillo, electrical, computer and energy engineering 
• David Dezell Turner, aerospace engineering 
• Eli Weissler, electrical engineering 

In addition to the fellowship award winners, 15 students were recognized with an honorable mention. Eleven alumni were also recognized.